Hand weights while walking? NOT.
I have tweeted and blogged about walking while carrying hand weights. I guess my voice isn't loud enough! In the last couple of days I have seen at least three people out walking while carrying hand weights. It just makes no sense. If you are carrying a weight that is heavy enough to make the muscles work in a regular strength exercise, the weight is too heavy for walking. It will compromise your gait and increase your risk for injury dramatically. Even light weights can compromise your gait and they are not useful for strength training moves, if you want to stop to execute those type of moves during your walk.
If you want research to read on this, here is a great link.
http://www.scientificjournals.org/journals2007/articles/1004.htm
My best suggestion for increasing the cardio intensity of your walk is to try speed intervals and hill incline repeats. If you want to add strength training moves, carry a resistance training band (they are easy to hang off a waist pack). Check out the newsletter archives for ideas on strength training moves.
Labels: Fitness research
posted by Wow Power Walking Founder @ 9:29 PM
4 Comments
4 Comments:
It's not something I would recommend unless you are coached! Remember that studies can show what you want them too.
I now walk with 2lb hand weights with a group and love the workouts and am seeing myself lean out, while building muscle and my speed has increased.
Dear Anonymous,
Thank you for your comment. I do appreciate interaction on the blog!
I wonder if you read this study?
The reason I posted it is because the authors are actually testing the physiological response to walking with torso-mounted weight. The reason they are doing this is because so many articles in so many peer-reviewed journals have concluded that “added weight to the extremities, specifically hand held [5 articles cited as early as 1987], wrist [2 articles cited], and ankle weights [3 articles cited][showed] significant physiological changes were reported. However, it was cautioned that the use of added extremity weight might increase the risk of injury [1987 article cited], furthermore the use of hand held weights was shown to trigger an abnormal increase in blood pressure.”
In other words studies are focussing on torso-mounted weight because the entire scientific community seems agreed that carrying weights on the extremities poses too great a risk.
As a coach, I feel that to negate more than 20 years of studies by several authors at different academic institutions would be fairly irresponsible.
Interestingly, the conclusion of this study states that “the benefits derived from utilizing a weight vest to stimulate significant improvements in aerobic capacity are uncertain, which tends to support previous findings.”
I believe we often come back to basics as much as people don’t want to believe it. Eat well, go fast, change how we go fast so that our bodies are constantly challenged to a new workout, rest. It works.
When I walk I carry two 12 lb dumbells. I toss them in the air, allowing them to twist and catch them as I walk. It is a great forearm workout, especially on the way back when I have gotten a good muscle burn going. If I tire I balance the weights on my shoulders. The study you linked to seems to suggest that weight carried there doesn't have the same physiological effects.
I keep these walks short. About 2 miles. And I do them after my longer walks when I am already warmed up.
As far as the risk of injury, there is a risk of injury to almost anything. As someone who actually uses the weights I am willing to say I have far more hands on "study" than the one study you linked to.
Humans have been carrying things, heavy things, while walking for thousands of years. I'm willing to take the "risk" that my body design is about the same as those billions of human beings that preceded me on this planet.
Hi Degarth,
Thanks for your comment. As mentioned earlier, I really enjoy feedback on the blog!
I'm not sure how long you have been working out in this way but it's great that you enjoy it and you have not been injured.
If you prefer your own personal “study”, that is fine. But as a coach, I consider it my professional responsibility to base my decisions on as much research as possible – not just a study of one.
Certainly as far as risk goes, you are correct. There is risk in anything. I love to surf and there is huge risk in that. For me, the enjoyment of it far outweighs the risk. I think the issue for me with hand and foot weights, and obviously for the scientific community, is that the risk far outweighs the benefits. You can get fantastic cardio workout without the extra weight at the ends of limbs and you can get a strength workout in those limbs in far more efficient ways.
My hope on this blog is to inspire, educate, and promote discussion. Thanks for your input!
Lee
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